Andrea Bocelli Addresses Timothée Chalamet’s Comments on Opera and Ballet

Opera singer Andrea Bocelli is the latest to weigh in on the Timothée Chalamet discourse. In a statement to People, the celebrated tenor shared his thoughts about Chalamet's controversial comments about opera and ballet, who said "no one cares about" the mediums. 

“I believe we often tend to keep our distance from what we have not yet truly encountered," Bocelli said. "Opera and ballet are art forms that have crossed centuries and continue to speak to the human heart, because they answer a deep need for beauty, truth, and emotion.”

Bocelli went on to call the forms "living languages," noting that, as a fellow performer, Chalemet draws from the same emotional source as those required of ballet and opera. “Should he ever be curious, I would be happy to welcome him as a guest at one of my concerts. Sometimes it only takes a few minutes of hearing this music live to understand why, after centuries, it continues to be loved all over the world," added Bocelli.

Bocelli's response follows the recent backlash to comments made by Chalamet during a conversation with Matthew McConaughey for Variety and CNN. The actor, who has been receiving accolades for his performance in Marty Supreme, including an Academy Award nomination, was speaking about changing habits in moviegoing and attention spans when he shared his thoughts about the longevity of other art forms.

"I don't want to be working in ballet or opera or things where it's like 'Hey, keep this thing alive,' even though no one cares about this anymore," Chalamet said, before quickly adding, "All respect to the ballet and opera people out there. I just lost 14 cents in viewership. I just took shots for no reason."

Chalamet's comments sparked a response from those within the opera and ballet communities, who have largely expressed disappointment and frustration with the comments. Among those who addressed the comments include Metropolitan Opera, the Seattle Opera, the Royal Ballet and Opera, and opera singers Isabel Leonard and Deepa Johnny, ballet dancer Victor Caixeta and choreographer Martin Chaix, among others. 

As one of the most recognizable voices in the entertainment industry, Andrea Bocelli has sold nearly 90 million records worldwide, sold out arena-sized concert events and performed record-breaking live-streams. Bocelli has performed at many major events, including the Olympic Games, the World Cup, and Global Citizen. He has earned a Golden Globe, seven Classical BRITs and seven World Music Awards, plus a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

A New York native, Chalamet comes from a family of artists, with his mother, sister, and grandmother all dancing with the New York City Ballet. Though he hasn't performed in ballet or opera himself, Chalamet got his start on the stage. 

At age 16, Chalamet made his off-Broadway debut in The Talls, a coming-of-age family dramedy from Second Stage Theatre. He returned to the stage five years later in John Patrick Shanley's Prodigal Son, winning a Lucille Lortel Award and receiving a nomination for a Drama League Award. In 2022, Chalamet was set to make his West End debut in a production of Amy Herzog's play 4000 Miles, but the production was ultimately cancelled. 

Timothée Chalamet Photo Credit: Disney/Scott Kirkland